January 2017 Newsletter

Welcome to a new year and the latest news from GHCA and the Crossroads.Let’s take a look back at Association Highlights from 2016:

Working with Boarmans’ management, the solar panels received an evergreen screening along Highland RD. May they live long and prosper!

By working with the USPS we now have a permanent Postmaster, Ms Cooke. Have you noticed how great our post office is looking?

After years of meetings, petitions, letters, more meetings, workshops and even some legal maneuvers, the dreaded BRX was placed in moratorium and will removed from Highland and the Howard County master plan in 2017. (See more details below.)

Now, looking ahead to 2017, the GHCA initiatives include:

Plans to work with the County to amend BR zoning.

Vigilance to guard against zoning violations in the community – please alert us to ones we may be unaware of. As we go to press, round two of our efforts to correct one in the Heart of Highland is getting under way. We are impressed with the support and professionalism we are receiving from the Val Lazdin team at DPZ.

Addressing the future of the Highland Day festival. We need member input. Please take a few minutes to complete the attached questionnaire and return via email.

Thank You, Hidden Treasures!

Our meeting on October 13 was devoted to introducing members to a few of the Hidden Treasures of the Highland Area. We want to again thank:

Al and Mae Pong, Pongs’ Orchard,

John Lehman, Lehman Associates PD (architects)

Jared Gulliford, Earth First Gardens and Green Farmacy Garden.

It was interesting and informative to learn of these rare endeavors thriving under our noses. We are on the hunt for more treasures to amaze and delight you with at a meeting in 2017.

What’s Next for Highland Day?

We’ve heard directly, and via the grapevine, many missed our festive fall gathering, Highland Day. As some are aware, the event went on hiatus for 2016 for several reasons, including: the dissolution of the managing organization, HBA, limits on parking, liability insurance issues and safety concerns. There is much to like about this community tradition, but also tremendous effort and devotion required to produce it. Should it come back, perhaps re-imagined to accommodate changing conditions? Or should we move on to other opportunities? The event belongs to the community, so please tell on what you would like and how you might be able to bring Highland Day back to life. To make it as easy as possible, please complete the attached questionnaire in WORD and return it attached to email by January 30. We will report results in a future email.